Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2015 n GOURMET NEWS 1 3 2 Times best selling author, has written several books including Big Daddy's Rules, A Goomba's Guide to Life, The Goomba's Book of Love and The Goomba Diet. Steve Schirripa knows more than a thing or two about Italian cuisine. "Grow- ing up in Brooklyn, Sunday morning was the day you would wake up to the aroma of tomatoes, garlic and olive oil simmer- ing on mom's stove as she prepared the sauce for dinner. My fondest memories are from those days, and I wish to share my Italian heritage and the comfort of fam- ily," noted Schirripa. "We start with organically grown whole tomatoes from a small farm in Italy. Fresh or- ganic vegetables are chopped up with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper and the ingre- dients are simmered over a low flame for six hours; yes, six hours," said Schirripa. "Be- cause our tomatoes are naturally sweet, we don't add any extra sugar. With no GMOs, no pesticides and nothing artificial, you can be confident you are feeding your family not only great tasting products, but nourishing them as well," explained Schirripa. By the end of 2014, Uncle Steve's was on the shelves at 1,200 markets across the country. "We are hoping to quadruple that number in 2015," said Felice Kaufman, SVP of Sales and Marketing. "We have a solid marketing plan that includes national TV and radio ads, in-store demonstrations and many personal appearances by Mr. Schirripa. We are working closely with our retail buyers to cross promote our products across the natural and grocery sectors. As the organic segment grows, we aim to be part of it and expand our line with addi- tional healthy products that appeal to a wide range of consumers." Uncle Steve's Italian Specialties sauces come in three flavors: Marinara, Arrabiata and Tomato Basil. They are available through UNFI, KeHE, Haddon House and other regional distributors. Stop by booth #5203 to get a taste of what everyone's talk- ing about. Steve Schirripa will be signing au- tographs and Uncle Steve's signature wooden spoons on January 11 from 11 to 2. For more information visit www.uncle stevesny.com, call 718-605-0416 or visit booth #5203. Uncle Steve's (Cont'd. from p. 1) spices lends a unique burst of flavor. Trying out different combinations is the best way to find what you like best. A few flavors to try together are: mango with chile pepper; rasp- berries with black pepper; cilantro, orange and cumin; pineapple and curry. GN: What is the difference between a rub and a marinade, and what are the benefits of each? AE: A rub is a blend of herbs and spices that you literally rub on meat, poultry or fish be- fore grilling. Most of the time they are dry, but they could be made into a paste with a splash of fruit juice, oil or fresh garlic. A marinade is a liquid, usually made with oil, vinegar or citrus juice and spices that help tenderize and infuse flavor into the meat. Both have unique benefits and can actually be used together to really intensify the fla- vors. You can even make a marinade using a dry rub as the flavor base. GN: What is the difference between Grill Shakers and Salt Free Grilling Blends? AE: Grill Shakers and Salt Free Grilling Blends are both made with the same high quality gourmet herbs and spices as all of The Spice Hunter products. Grill Shakers are perfectly blended seasonings conveniently combined with pure sea salt for an all-in-one grilling blend. They come in handy plastic jars with shaker lids. Our Salt Free Grilling Blends are made for people who want salt free blends designed with grilling in mind. They offer the opportunity to have great grilling blends without the salt or the ability to add the amount of salt the consumer wants. We have something for everyone. GN: Do you think customers are embracing healthy grilling recipes? Which Spice Hunter products and recipes do you think best pro- mote healthy grilling? AE: Grilling is becoming a year-round cooking style, so I think people are looking for ways to grill with health in mind. Peo- ple are grilling everything these days, from traditional meat and poultry to tofu and vegetables, and spices are a great way to add even more flavor to these foods. Whether it's our Grill Shakers, Salt Free Grilling Blends or any of our gourmet spices, they give such a satisfying flavor to food; you don't miss any of the added oils and fats that tend to be used in tradi- tional cooking methods. For more information, visit www.spice hunter.com or stop by booth #1245. Spice Hunter (Cont'd. from p. 1) of Texmati Light Brown, whole wheat orzo and Chia seeds. The chia packs a tremendous nutrition punch with twice the protein of other seeds and grains along with calcium, potassium, antioxidants and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. The arborio blends are a quick and easy start to delicious risottos; just add a broth of choice, cook 20 minutes and serve. RiceSe- lect Arborio with Jalapeños kicks risotto up a notch with just the right blend of heat from the jalapeño mellowed by the creaminess of the arborio rice. On a more familiar note, RiceSelect Arborio with Mushrooms creates a delicious, traditional comfort food with the subtle earthy flavor of mushrooms. All three of these hearty, all natural, nutri- tious side dishes have distinctive flavors that will appeal to today's savvy and health con- scious consumers. Delicious and easy to pre- pare, these tasty side dishes can be turned into an entrée simply with the addition of chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu or any protein of choice. Its new blends are Star-K kosher certified, Non-GMO verified and come packed in RiceSelect's consumer friendly re-sealable, recyclable, re-usable signature plastic jars. For more information, visit www.rice select.com or stop by booth #3521. RiceSelect (Cont'd. from p. 1) Peruvian chocolate is becoming increas- ingly more appreciated by the world's lead- ing chocolatiers. Home to some of the rarest forms of chocolate in the world, the Peruvian offer is sure to delight. Interesting variations for this delicatessen are chocolates that in- clude quinoa, sacha inchi, pecans, nuts and coconut. From January to September 2014, Peruvian chocolate imports into the U.S. have totaled more than $4 million. Piquillo peppers are also a flavory item that comes from this magnificent land. A del- icate process of coal-roasting, peeling and packaging, results in some the highest qual- ity piquillo peppers in the world. Chefs and food magazines rave about the complexity of their flavor – an intricate mixture of sweet and piquant. Over the past few years, the popularity of this flame-red gourmet pepper has increased and it is becoming more widely used in dishes all over the world. The U.S. is the second main destination for peru- vian piquillo peppers. There has been a large spike in the exports of artichokes in Peru due to the transition made by small, family-operated farms from the traditional cultivation of potatoes and corn, to the cultivation of artichokes for can- ning. From January to September 2014, im- ports for this item have reached $36 million, which makes the U.S. the main destination market. Peruvian artichokes are especially known for their one of a kind consistency that stems from the pristine climate and nu- trient-rich soil in which they are grown. Peru's unique climate and traditional knowledge allows growers to produce as- paragus year round, making the country the world's leading exporter of asparagus. Picked and processed after careful selection, the Peruvian asparagus market exemplifies Peru's ability to combine traditional knowl- edge and new technology to provide the finest quality ingredients to the rest of the world. Processed asparagus imports from Peru amounted to $10 million in the period from January to September 2014. It is widely known that a lot goes into pro- ducing high quality coffee – climate, harvest- ing, processing, as well as meeting the high standards of the specialty coffee market. Peru's multiple micro-climates and regional traditions yield a wide variety of different aromas, flavors and qualities unique to each specific region. Imports to the U.S. in the first three quarters of 2014 totaled more than $94 million. Overall, Peru harnesses a huge potential to supply the world with the finest ingredients. Its pristine climate and geography as well as its rich culture provides an excellent back- ground for harvesting the bounties of its land. When combined with today's technology, Peru has become one of the world's most reliable suppliers of high-quality, gourmet food prod- ucts that are exotic, nutritious and delicious. Peru is attending the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, represented by many important exporters that will highlight the quality and variety of its fine products. It in- vites you to try some Peruvian-inspired bites as well as enjoy a Pisco cocktail. For more information, visit booth #3929 at the Winter Fancy Food Show 2015 or con- tact the Trade Commission of Peru Los An- geles at 310-496-7411 or you can send an email to info@perutradeoffice.us. Peru (Cont'd. from p. 1) that with my specialty food background from Bloomingdales and Macy's, and we will only make the best tasting product from the best in- gredients we can buy. We don't use less ex- pensive, commercial products like corn syrup solids, soybean oil, soy oil and egg white powder. We never use artificial anything. We only use fresh eggs and vanilla, creamery but- ter and high quality cocoa powder and sugar, giving Brownie Crunch a cleaner, more in- tense and distinctive flavor. GN: How do you source your high quality ingredients for commercial baking? SF: We have relationships with small, qual- ity suppliers of baking products. Our vanilla is sourced from a company that not only owns its own vanilla bean orchards, but also processes its beans, creating its own aro- matic, flavorful, natural and kosher vanilla extract. For the toffee chips, Seth has them made to his specifications for flavor and piece size, and to withstand the Crunch bak- ing process. GN: How did you come up with Southwest Brownie Crunch? SF: While in Mexico, Seth tasted mole sauce and thought, why not? For our Southwest Brownie Crunch line, Seth tasted many types of chiles, and chose New Mexico chiles be- cause of their unique flavor. GN: How would you describe the flavor of Southwest Brownie Crunch? SF: Southwest Crunch brings together the sweet taste of rich chocolate and the spicy tastes of jalapeño, chile pepper and smoky chipotle. Inspired by the way chocolatiers have created unique flavor combinations with chocolate and spices from all over the world, Seth experimented with many vari- eties of spicy, southwestern peppers until he found just the right balance of spicy and sweet. GN: What's on the horizon? What else are you doing? SF: We will be introducing our new 100- calorie pack at this show. This broadens our distribution networks. This size is perfect for gift baskets, lunch boxes, counter dis- plays, drug stores, c-stores and supermar- kets. Packed six sleeves of 12 to a case. We have many more new creations that we are working on. Keep an eye out for what we do next. Brownie Crunch is 100 percent all-natural, certified kosher and made in the U.S.A. New York Crunch is available in Choco- late Chip, Orange, Cinnamon Cappuccino, Mint and Toffee; Southwest flavors are Jalapeño, Chile Pepper and Chipotle. The brownie reinvented! Visit us at the Gate- way Ballroom booth #5801 to see what else is new! For more information, visit www.brownie crunch.com or stop by booth #5801. Brownie Crunch (Cont'd. from p. 1)

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